Whoever is in charge of the Giro d’Italia Twitter account (yes, Elon, we know it’s X now), deserves a raise.
Typically, an official race account will post a handful of things. These include, and are often limited to: sponsor promos, time gaps to the breakaway, and stage winner photos. The Giro account is not bound by such limits. No, the Giro account is a trove of visionary content.
One video in particular took off on Twitter this week. It has almost a million views, and captures an Intermarché-Wanty mechanic pushing a rider after a wheel change.
Of course, that’s not all it is. The video then goes on to remix the mechanic, whose name is Andrea, showing him in a range of different scenes; he pushes an Olympic runner, helps Lightning McQueen from the Disney film Cars, and scores a diving header in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, all set to the Naughty Boy and Beyoncé song ‘Runnin’’.
From the original footage, most of us would have just seen a mechanic doing their job, a standard mid-stage event, little to write home about. The Giro admin saw an opportunity. A chance to make prime content.
In fact, the person, or persons, behind the account has been at it from the start. The content has been relentless. There have been numerous references to first division Italian football, homemade memes, and a claim that the pink hues of the Northern Lights were a ploy from the race’s marketing team.
It is all, plain and simply, good fun. And cycling fans have been loving the flow of silly posts.
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“The admin of the Giro d’Italia is pure talent,” wrote one X user. “The Giro admin is so on fire,” wrote another. One described the content as “internet gold”. “The Giro admin is cooking!” a more hip-speeched fan said.
Here are a few hits from the Giro account’s recent catalogue, plus Sam Bennett dressed up as Tadej Pogačar, Lotte Kopecky on a running track, and tennis star Novak Djokovic’s dodgy helmet style.
1. Rumour has it he’s still running
no caption needed. enjoy. #GirodItalia | @IntermarcheW pic.twitter.com/cmdvV3Sce8May 12, 2024
2. You don’t reach speeds like that without training… late at night, apparently, in underground car parks
The legendary mechanic Andrea in training 🏃🏻😂 #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/zUmhYJP9yvMay 14, 2024
3. Who would win in a race between Lotte Kopecky and Andrea the Intermarché-Wanty mechanic?
4. The glow of Tadej Pogačar’s pink jersey was seen as far away as Stoke-on-Trent
💖 damn the marketing team went crazy this year#GirodItalia https://t.co/b5hzb3L1GoMay 11, 2024
5. I give it a week before the UCI bans this position
6. Pierre Baguette are a team in vogue. Here’s one of their riders, up-and-coming Slovakian Peter Sagan, signing an autograph mid-race
He did it again 😭Peter Sagan 🤝🏼 signing his book during the stage. #TourdeHongrie pic.twitter.com/OkohwV7zfuMay 10, 2024
7. It appears everyone got the ‘hands together’ memo apart from Tudor Pro Cycling’s Matteo Trentin
📌 PompeiMythical start place 🩷 #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/Jrn0GLzifjMay 14, 2024
8. At least wear a casquette, Novak
Today I came prepared. #IBI24 pic.twitter.com/b4tRYhZ8d7May 11, 2024
9. Maybe the world tennis number one could take some fashion tips from Hugo Hofstetter
The sun is out and it’s a sprint stage… no wonder @hugohofstetter loves the @giroditalia 🩷 #GirodItalia 🇮🇹 #YallaIPT pic.twitter.com/xo50xdhUunMay 17, 2024
10. When you and your mate decide to kill time in the airport by trying on the sunglasses
#GirodItalia Miglior coppia del giorno pic.twitter.com/Uyv0OYDrheMay 10, 2024
11. 69 minutes (nice) too late, Mr Winston. Off to the slammer with you
We apologise for crimes against Italy….4 cappuccinos were ordered at 12:09May 13, 2024
12. Now that’s what I call a royal portrait
Its the most beautiful portrait I have ever seen 🥲#Giro #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/JtVVc9gcq9May 16, 2024
13. When you’re a selfless lead-out man, any trip to the podium is a big event
14. Only 9.4km/h? There must’ve been a headwind
15. Sam Bennett took his first and second victories of the season at the 4 Days of Dunkirk. It turns out all he needed was a go-faster Pogačar tuft
Mom: we have Pogi at homePogi at home: pic.twitter.com/0ao0p7nl2KMay 16, 2024
16. And finally, spare a thought for Alex Richardson, who, in a sea of spectator cowbells, thought he heard the bell lap early at the Lincoln GP, and celebrated accordingly
An early celebration! 😱Alex Richardson celebrates with one lap to go!#NatRoadSeries pic.twitter.com/kRAmzp65rBMay 12, 2024
